MADISONVILLE, Ky. (3/26/13) – Congressman Ed Whitfield has notified the City of Madisonville, and the Madisonville Fire Department, that he will be in town tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, March 27) at 1:30 PM to present a check to the City of Madisonville for the previously announced federal grant from the 2012 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The federal funds, in the amount of Two Hundred Five Thousand Five Hundred and Sixty-nine Dollars ($205,569.00) will assist the Madisonville Fire Department in updating the departments Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units.

Mayor David Jackson stated, “Congressman Whitfield continues to be a strong advocate of our protective services personnel and his lending support to our grant application played an important role in the City of Madisonville being selected for this award. This particular grant program is a highly competitive program with FEMA receiving more than 25,000 applications annually. Through this award the City will leverage a five percent (5%) cash match of $10,819.00 to receive the $205,569.00 in federal funds.”

Congress authorized the Assistance to Firefighters program in 2001 under a bill Co-Sponsored by Congressman Whitfield. Since the program’s inception, the City of Madisonville has been the beneficiary of almost One Million Dollars in federal funds according to Daron Jordan the City of Madisonville Community Development Director.